Mold base for urethane casting process

Abstract

A mold design with magnetic locking components for a urethane casting process can allow for several advantages over conventional mechanical locking mechanisms for holding two mold halves together. The magnetic locking components can be permanent magnetic components, electromagnetic components, or a combination of the two. A switch can allow for magnetizing and demagnetizing of the magnetic locking components, thereby respectively providing and releasing a mold holding force at the appropriate times of, for example, a urethane casting process. The magnetic locking components can be used with single or multi-cavity molds.

1 . A mold for use in a casting process, the cavity mold comprising:
 an upper cavity plate comprising at least one upper cavity formed therein and at least one upper magnetic locking component;   a lower cavity plate configured to engage with the upper cavity plate, the lower cavity plate comprising at least one lower cavity formed therein and at least one lower magnetic locking component, wherein the upper and lower magnetic locking components are configured to hold the upper and lower cavity plates together.   
     
     
         2 . The mold according to  claim 1 , wherein the cavity mold is configured for use in a urethane casting process. 
     
     
         3 . The mold according to  claim 1 , wherein the cavity mold is a single cavity mold. 
     
     
         4 . The mold according to  claim 1 , wherein the cavity mold is a multi-cavity mold. 
     
     
         5 . The mold according to  claim 1 , wherein the upper cavity and the lower cavity are hemispherical cavities configured to produce a golf ball. 
     
     
         6 . The mold according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one cooling channel configured to receive a cooling fluid and to cool the upper and/or lower cavities. 
     
     
         7 . The mold according to  claim 6 , wherein the upper cavity plate comprises at least one cooling channel and the lower cavity plate comprises at least one cooling channel. 
     
     
         8 . The mold according to  claim 7 , wherein the cooling channels extend from a first end to a second end of each of the upper and lower cavity plates. 
     
     
         9 . The mold according to  claim 1 , wherein magnetic locking components are positioned near the periphery of the upper and lower cavity plates. 
     
     
         10 . The mold according to  claim 1 , further comprising a switch configured to magnetize and demagnetize the magnetic locking components. 
     
     
         11 . The mold according to  claim 1 , wherein the upper cavity plate comprises one or more projecting pegs and/or recesses. 
     
     
         12 . The mold according to  claim 11 , wherein the lower cavity plate comprises one or more projecting pegs and/or recesses. 
     
     
         13 . The mold according to  claim 1 , wherein the upper cavity plate comprises at least one projecting peg and the lower cavity plate comprises at least one recess configured to receive the at least one projecting peg. 
     
     
         14 . The mold according to  claim 1 , wherein the upper and/or lower magnetic locking components are permanent magnetic locking components. 
     
     
         15 . The mold according to  claim 1 , wherein the upper and/or lower magnetic locking components are electromagnetic locking components. 
     
     
         16 . A method for performing a urethane casting process comprising:
 providing an upper mold half, the upper mold half comprising at least one upper cavity and at least one upper magnetic locking component;   providing a lower mold half, the lower mold half comprising at least one lower cavity and at least one lower magnetic locking component; and   magnetizing the upper magnetic locking component and/or the lower magnetic locking component, thereby holding the upper mold half and lower mold half in engagement with one another for a period of time sufficient for the casting process.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein magnetizing the upper and/or lower magnetic locking components comprises turning a switch and delivering current to an electromagnetic coil. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein magnetizing the upper and/or lower magnetic locking components comprises turning a switch and rotating a spherical permanent magnet. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein magnetizing is performed at an assembly station and wherein the method further comprising demagnetizing the upper and/or lower magnetic locking components, thereby releasing the mold halves, wherein the demagnetizing is performed at a demolding station.